Gun mounting for use on aircraft



1,628,068 May 1927 F. w. SCARFF GUN MOUNTING FOR USE ON AIRCRAFT Filed Nov. '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,628,068 May 1927' F. w. scARF'F GUN MOUNTING FOR USE ON AIRCRAFT Filed Nov. 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 10, 1927.

Ul'lE E'E'TES FFICE.

TENT

FREDERICK WILLIA'M SCABFF, OF LONDOII CGUNTY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO VICKERS LIMITED, 015 LONDQN, ENG-LAND, A BRITISH COMPANY.

GUN MOUNTING FOR ON AIRCRAFT.

Application filed November 7, 1824, Serial No. 748,3?5, and in Great Britain November 27, 1923.

arm (preferably of U shupe in plz: view) currvin g the gun or guns. from ines urc now being constructed with l flt-ii' iiti oz cockpits ot substantially greater Wull'li than the diameter of the 1' of existing or standard mountings with the result hat when such :1 mounting: eniplmed on :in ucroplnno having the w der tin-whine or cock-pit, the over-tho Ede or downward lire oi the gun or guns restricted by the sides of the luselu e.

According to the principal feature of the present invention. n order to avoid the above-mentioned dis-advantage. the mounting is so constructed that the e evuting z rin itself, or the brackets in which he elevating! arm is trunnioned, can be a justed with respect to the rotatable rin of the in uniting so that the distance betv; n the unis of the ring and the free end of the elevating Z11"! where the gun or guns are supported ciin Di: altered in :iccordiince with the width of the fuselage or cook-p t, and in this manner the same degree of overtlic-side lire can be obtained {1S would be the cuse with :1 mounting of larger diameter. The elevating: Lilth ()1 quadrants have inner side plates and outwardly extending hinges the rear faces of which are formed with teeth wi h which locking); devices for the elevating; zirni co-operute, so that there is no dunner ot' the gunner being injured by being thrown zigziinst the said teeth by reason 01" violent and unexpected movements of the aeroplane.

Another feature of the invention relates to the springs employed for balancing the elevating arm against the Weight of the gun or guns carried thereby and consists in pro viding two bulzincing springs (or two sets of balancing springs) between the rotatable ring (or parts curried thereby) and extensions on the elevating arm and in providing means whereby one spring at each side (or one set of springs at each side) can readily be removed when only one gun is to be curried by the elevating; arm and can r dilv be replaced when two or more @1111";

. to be curried.

The wind balancing Qftfll tor the rotatable rin is generull 1 to that form ng: he subject of l nited States Patent 1.500.726 .rl another feature of the pre invenllOll is the connection o the bracket curryanother. ln th s manner the bv the couple exerted h the spring: 31'! distributed over the rings instead of lkfilljf ocalized.

The OltWttlilTlfl and tr: ninsr locking devices are, l 'f'l'el cltllflff operated by moons of :1

midlc and wires in such :1 ll]: ier that the chino; devices are released in succession. to rotatable ring be ng l'QlQiiStl before the levatin r urni. In the specification o1 Tnited Stat Patent No. 1.36%525 several nst CtlOUZIl urrzinn'enients of such lockin; (evices are disclo" d and another feliture of the present invention cons s in D10 llil9 l construction in which 51 wire pin 5 over pulle is carried by pivoted zirins corrnected b wires to the training locl-ringdevice, so that when u pull ex rted on the handle in order to releur-Ie the training locltdevice. the arms will swingr into :1 position in which the axes oi the pulleys are opposite the axes of the trunnions of the elevating arm. Thus when the locking de vices of the elevating arm are released by a further pull on the suid handle, the elevating movements of the elevating: nrtn can take place without such movements ntlecting; the tension oi the wire and the position of the locking devices.

In order that the suid invention 111215 be clearly understood and readily carried into etl'ect, the same will now be described more. fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a mounting provided with constructional forms of the different features of this invention.

ltll) Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 2.

Figures 3 and 4- are respectively a side elc vation and a plan shewing on a larger sca and in reverse view the balancing springs of Figure 1 and their associated.parts.

Figures 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views shewing in side elevation and in half plan a form of mounting in which the elevating arm is made adjustable upon the brackets in which this arm is trunnioned.

Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a side elevation and a part plan of a modified form of balancing springs and associated parts as applied to the mounting shown in Figures 5 and 6.

A is the fixed ring, B is the rotatable ring mounted on the fixed ring, C is the U-shaped elevating arm and c, c are its trunnions.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the rotatable ring B has two chordal plates B B riveted to its upper part and provided with a number of holes 6, b at different points along their length. Brackets D, D in which the trunnions e, 0 are pivoted rest on these chordal plates and have feet or flanges formed with holes to receive bolts 6, t) which also pass through the holes 6, 45 Thus after removing the said bolts and adjusting the brackets into the desired position, the bolts can be passed through other holes in the chordal plates and the brackets thereby held in their new positions. It will be understood that it is not intended that such adjustments shall be effected during flight but are to be permanent in so far as any particular aeroplane is concerned.

E, E are helical compression springs for balancing the elevating arm C against the weight of the guns carried thereby. In the construction shown in Figures 1 to at there are two pairs of springs at each side of the mounting, the springs in each pair being arranged one above the other. The outer pair of springs are made readily detachable as aforesaid and for this purpose they are arranged around the rcarwardly extending forked pieces of a member E having at its forward part a key-hole slot 6 the smaller portion of which engages in a circumferential groove in a pivot pin 0 on the elevating bracket 1). The rear ends of the springs bear against a stop piece FF serving to conncct the rear ends of the aforesaid forked pieces together and the front ends of the said springs bear against a member E" which is slidably mounted on the said forked pieces. This sliding member has forked pieces formed near their rear ends with keyhole slots 0 the narrower portions of which engage in circumferential grooves in a pin 6 projecting outwardly from an extension C of the elevating arm C. The springs normally hold the narrower portions of the various key-hole slots in engagement with the grooves in the two pins, but

by suitable manipulation the wider portions of the said slots can be caused to register with the pins and the unit composed of the two outer springs, the member E and the member E can be removed laterally. This manipulation preferably consists in placing a block of wood or other suitable material in the space between the forward parts of the forked pieces of the member E (this block being indicated at E in Figure 1) and in elcvating the arm C slightly beyond the point at which the block It arrests the forward movement of the member E". This brings the pin 0 opposite the wider portion of the slots 6 and by continuing the elevating movement of the arm Q the member E pushed forward to bring the wider portion of the slot 6 opposite the pin 6 The members E and E can then be detached by a lateral movement. To replace the spring unit, the TOVOY-Q operations are performed.

F (Figures 1 and 2) represents the spring of the wind balancing gear which, as aforesaid, generally similar to that forming the subject of British Patent No. 204070; the bracket F carrying the said spring and the rollers f of this gear, is connected to a curved back-rest F 2 for the gunner as well as directly to the rotatable ring B. This back-rest is connected at points nearly diametrically opposite one another (by riveting for example) to the plates B B so that the stresses caused by the couple exerted by the spring F are distributed over the rings A and B instead of being localized as is the case when the bracket F is only connected directly to the rotatable ring B.

G (Figure 1) is one of the two elevating locking bolts arranged on opposite sides of the mounting for engaging with teeth which are formed on the rear surfaces of outward ly extending flanges D on the aforesaid brackets l). T hcse brackets have inner side walls and the teeth are therefore shrouded so that the gunner protected from injury by the said teeth in the event of his being thrown sideways. The said locking bolts are carried by the aforesaid extensions C of the elevating arm C and are spring-controlled. Each of the said locking bolts is connected by a wire G to an operating l1an die (i on the transverse portion of the arm t. this wire passing over a pulley 5 carried by an arm which is pivoted at to the bracket 1). The arm is connected to an arm g to which is attached a wire G leading to a lever for operating the springcontrolled training locking bolt, G, this wire passing under a pulley 9 carried by the bracket D. The parts are so arranged that in the normal position (i. e. the position in which the locking bolts G and G are in their engaging positions) the pulleys g are situated 'ith their axes eccentric with rellt) speet to the axes of the elevating trunnions c as shown in Figure 1. When the handle G is operated to release the locking bolts the pull on the wire G first moves the arms 9' 9 to lift the training locking bolts G by means of the wires Gr (the elevating locking bolts G being meanwhile held in their engaging postition by their springs the strength of which is suitably chosen accordingly) and this movement of the said arms brings the axes of the pulleys g into line with the axes of the elevating trunnions 0. The training locking bolts having by this time reached the limit of their movement; the continued pull on the wire G then moves the elevating locking bolts G to their liberating position and this position is not affected by the subsequent elevating movements of the elevating arm, owing to the concentric position of the pulleys g with rcspect to the elevating trunnions.

In the construction according to Figures 5 and 6 the elevating arm C is trunnioned directly to the chordal plates B B which are made of channel shape with the side walls formed with holes B at different points along their length to receive the elevating trunnion pins 0. The elevating arm can thus be adjusted to vary the distance between the free end of the elevating arm and the axis of the rotatable ring B, by engaging the detachable trunnions c with the required holes. The elevating arcs D are also made correspondingly adjustable by the provision of holes B in the side walls of the plates B for the reception of removable bolts 6 pass-- ing through the base of each elevating arc.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of the removable springs E for balancing the elevating arm C against the weight of the guns. In this form, which is shewn by way of example as applied to the construction of mounting according to Figures 5 and 6, there are two springs at each side of the gun mounting one arranged inside and the other outside a cylinder Ff having a longitudinal slot 6 Passing through the front end of this slot is a pin 6 the outer end of which bear against the recessed portion of a collar E which engages with screw threads on the front part of the cylinder. The front ends of the inner spring bears against the pin 0" and the front end of the outer spring bears against the collar E. The rear ends of the said springs bear against a pin E which is carried by an extension 0 on the elevating arm (l, the cylinder being held in position laterally at this point by the engagement of a projection (2 on the pin E with the rear end of the outer spring as shewn in Figure 8. The front part of the cylinder E is formed with a key-hole slot 6 in the narrow portion of which engages a pin E projecting laterally from the elevating are D. The

enlarged head of the pin E normally prevents the front end of the cylinder E from being withdrawn laterally. To remove one of the springs when required, a stirrup piece is inserted in slots 0 X formed in the rear partof the cylinder and the arm C is elevated past the position at which the rear ends of the springs bear against this stirrup-piece so as to bring the projection 0 clear of the rear end of the outer spring. The cylinder is then free to be moved forwardly until the wide portion of the keyhole slot 6* comes opposite the head of the pin E and the cylinder E with the springs held in position thereon by the stirruppiece can then be removed laterally. The outer spring or the inner spring can then be removed from the cylinder and the latter then replaced with only the remaining spring in position. The position of the aforesaid pin E can be varied as required by passing it through any one of several holes (shewn in Figure l) in the extension t. The pin Ff can be located at any point on a circle having the trunnion axis as the centre and the pin E can also be arranged at any desired position on the elevating are .I)*, or alternatively the latter pin, with a suitable position of the pin E can be used to pivotally connect the end of the cylinder E" remote from the coliar E and the pin e or their equivalents, to the rotatable ring or a part carried thereby. In any of these arrangements the two springs apertaining to each cylinder may both be arranged inside the cylinder or both around the cylinder, instead of one inside and one around as above described.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the con'ibination with the rotatable ring and the elevating arm carrying one or more guns, of mcans whereby the distance between the axis of said ring and the free end of said elevating arm where the gun or guns are supported can be altered.

2. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft. the combination with the rotatable ring and the elevating arm carrying one or more guns, of brackets in which said elevating arm is trunnioncd and means for adjusting said brackets upon said ring so as to alter the distance between the axis of the ring and the free end of said elevating arm where the gun or guns are supported.

3. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the rotatable ring and the elevating arm carrying one or more guns, of brackets in which said elevating arm is trunnioned, chordal members on said ring and bolts passing through the brackets and through selected holes of a number of holes formed at diiferent points along the length of said chordal members.

4. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the rotatable ring and the elevating arm carrying one or more guns, of chordal mem bers on said ring, said members being formed with holes at different points along their length, elevating arcs, bolts passing through said arcs and through selected holes in said members, and removable trunnions for said arm passing through other selected holes in said members.

In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the rotatable ring, the elevating arm carrying one or more guns, and the elevating arcs, of inner side plates on said arcs, outwardly extending flanges on said arcs, teeth on the rear surfaces of said flanges and locking devices on said elevating arm for co-operating with said teeth.

6. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 2, of inner side plates forming part of the brackets, arcuate flanges extending outwardly from said brackets, teeth on the rear surfaces of said flanges and locking devices on said elevating arm for co-operating with said teeth.

7. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the rotatable ring and the elevating arm, of a plurality of metallic springs of the helical compression type for balancing the elevating arm against the weight of the guns carried by said arm and means whereby certain of said springs can readily be removed when only one gun is to be carried by said arm and can readily be replaced when more than one gun is to be carried.

8. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the rotatable ring and the elevating arm, of extensions on said elevating arm, two springs at each side of the mounting between said extensions and parts carried by the ring, said springs serving to balance the elevating arm against the weight of the guns carried by said arm, and means whereby one spring on each side can readily be removed when only one gun is to be carried by said arm and can readily be replaced when more than one gun is to be carried.

9. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 3, of a spring and roller wind balancing gear, a bracket carrying the spring and rollers of said gear, a gunnefs back-rest rigidly secured to said bracket and also rigidly secured to the chordal members at points which are more or less diametrically opposite one another.

10. In a gun mounting of the ring type for use on aircraft, the combination with the rotatable ring, the elevating arm carrying one or more guns, an elevating locking device for said arm, a training locking device for said ring, wires for operating said devices and a handle for exerting a pull on said wires, of a pivoted arm connected by one of the wires to the training locking device and a pulley on said arm around which pulley passes another wire connected to the elevating locking device, said arm and pulley being so arranged that when the handle is operated in order to release the training locking device, said arm will swing into a position in which the axis of the pulley is in line with the trunnion axis of the elevating arm.

11. In a gun mounting of the ring type, the combination with the elements claimed in claim 2, of elevating locking devices for said arm, training locking devices for said ring, wires for operating said devices and a handle for exerting a. pull on said wires, arms pivoted to the brackets and connected by some of the wires to the training locking devices, and a pulley on each of said. arms, one of the wires passing around each pulley to each of the elevating locking devices, said arms and pulleys being so arranged that when the handle is operated in order to release the training locking devices, said arms will swing into a position in which the axes of the pulleys are in line with the trunnion axis of the elevating arm.

FREDERICK \VILLIAM SCARFF. 

